Superman – The dream we live for

Just had a fun evening with my kids watching Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns. My daughter Abbey made the comment half way through, "isn’t it getting a little too religious". Her comment was based around the use of some of Marlon Brando’s old lines from the first Christopher Reeve Superman movie. Its true there is plenty of religious significance in this movie, but lets define it a little more. The world’s need for a superhero shown in the form of Clark Kent’s alter-ego is very much in line with Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster’s original concept based around notions of the Messiah. The 1938 launch of this now famous DC comics character came to the rescue of many young children growing up particularly the boys who wanted to overcome their playground challenges. For Jerry and Joe it was a form of protest against the Nazi oppression during World War II. The ‘S’ on Superman was meant to have come from a number of sources including ‘Super-Jew’ and also the surnames of Jerry and Joe. Watch the movie and take the test. Take the time to count the number of references to a Father who sends a Son, a sacrifice and a deliverer. Bryan Singer seems to enjoy even giving visual links to a Jewish Messiah in the form of Jesus as we see the number of times the Brandon Routh version of Superman is composed in the form of crucifix stance. I guess the question we all need to ask is, "what do we need saving from". Ultimately many would answer; "ourselves". For a deeper read check out the book "The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero" by Stephen Skelton. ISBN 0-7369-1812-4